Plastic composition.



JOSEPH E. BECK, 0F SUNNY 'VALE, CALIFORNIA.

PLASTIC ooMPosI'rIoN.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. BECK, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Sunnyvale, in the county ofSanta Claraand State of California, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in Plastic Compositions, of which the following is aspecification. I

My invention relates to plastic composition and the manufacture thereofand it consists in the composition hereinafter described in theproportions specified.

An object of my invention is to provide a plastic composition which maybe used .in lieu of ordinary plastAwalls and ceilings, or for flooring,pavements, plaster board, shoe leather, trunks, suit cases, drums orbarrels, boxes, etc.

A further object of my invention is to provide a composition of theclass described having as its main ingredients materials which are foundeverywhere and which are relatively cheap.

A further object of invention is to provide a plastic composition whichmay be used as an artificial stone since it will receive a high polish.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following specificationand the novel features of the inventiormill be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In my composition I make use of straw of any kind, rye, rice or wheatflour, chlorid of zinc and coloring matter.

In carrying out the invention I preferably proceed as follows: 1000pounds of straw is placed in any suitable boiler containing water and tothe water is added potash lye. The amount may vary, but as an example Imake use of 75 pounds of lye with 1000 pounds of straw, which is placedin a tank 12 feet in diameter and 16 feet high. Steam is passed into themixture and the straw is boiled with the lye solution from 4 to 0 hours.The lye solution is then drained off. The straw is then removed to apulping inachine and when sufiicientlypulped is rinsed in running Water.Part of this water is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 16, 1913. Serial No. 761,503.

'tion of chlorid of Zinc, standard.

ability to stand a high Patented May 26, 1914.

squeezed out in any suitable press, but sufficient water is left toleave the pulp in a damp'state. I then add 80 pounds of rye, rice orwheat flour and 2.; gallons of a solu- Mercks' U. S. P.

The composition as described above may be used as an ordinary plasterfor walls or ceilings. It may be used with backing or without backing.l/Vhen subjected to high pressure it will form a mass having the polishby emery or sand paper. I w i The composition formed by the mixture ofdigested and pulped straw, flour and zinc chlorid may be colored withany suitable form of coloring matter, such as dyes, and. may thus bemade to imitate stone, SllC-lltlS marble, onyx, or malachite. \Vhen theconiposition is dry it may be polished with any suitable polishingmaterial, such assand paper or emery and may then be varnished.

By adding 3 quarts of linseed oil, 2 ounces of gum arabic and 2 ouncesof rosin to every 10 pounds of straw pulpin dry form and subjecting themixture to pressure in a hydraulic or other suitable press, a'very'durable and cheap linoleum may be made.

I claim i 1. The herein described plastic composition which consists ofa mixture of pulped straw previously digested with lve, flour and Zincchlorid. V i 2. The herein described plastic composilTI OH whichconsists of a mixture of straw digested in lye and subsequently pulped,flour, zinc chlorid and coloring matter.

The herein described process for'pros ducmga plastic composition whichconsists in boiling straw in lye solution, draining off the solution,pulping the straw, rinsing the straw j-with water and mixing it withflour and zinc chlorid.

JOSEPH E. BECK.

